[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 80 (Thursday, May 15, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E933]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 2419, FOOD, CONSERVATION, AND ENERGY ACT OF 
                                  2008

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                               speech of

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 14, 2008

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Madam Speaker, I have supported and cosponsored 
legislation to allow farmers who grow fruit and vegetables for 
processing to opt out of farm programs on an acre for acre basis 
without limitation. That legislation would reduce farm program costs 
and improve the environment by allowing more extensive crop rotations. 
I am very pleased that the conference report takes a step toward that 
proposal by establishing a pilot project to allocate 75,000 acres of 
new authority for production of fruit and vegetables for processing in 
specified Midwestern states. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 
has broad discretion in administration of this pilot project to meet 
the objectives of the pilot project. The conference report does not 
specify a procedure for allocation of the pilot project acreage or 
other administrative matters, such as re-allocation of unused acreage 
allocations among states. However, the USDA is clearly required to 
establish rules to assure that this additional fruit and vegetable 
production authority will not be abused. Only fruit and vegetables 
under contract for processing are to be produced under this authority.
  The USDA is to assure that all of the crop produced is delivered to a 
processor and that the quantity of crop delivered under the original 
contract (the contract in existence upon Farm Service Agency 
certification) does not exceed the quantity that is produced on the 
contracted acreage. Additionally, the effects of the pilot project and 
fruit and vegetable restrictions on the specialty crop industry, both 
fresh and processed, are to be evaluated. These restrictions are 
intended to ensure protection of the objectives of the pilot project, 
not to compel food waste or excessive regulatory burden. Further, the 
conference report includes an important statement of policy indicating 
that in the next recalculation of base acreage, fruit and vegetable 
production will not cause a reduction in farmer's base acreage. While 
this is a timid step in reducing restrictions on production of fruits 
and vegetables, I commend this step in the right direction.

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